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2017-06-11 - The Grand Melee
"Yes John, but the talk of the evening is actually in Summer Set where the grand gala is going on to honor the life's work of Commissioner James T Gordon. All the big names have come, to roast the big boss himself and to dance the night away." The news is on the scene tonight as the floodlights light up the night, at the Grand Ballroom itself. Donated by Wayne industries for these kinds of events, it's the only place in town really suitable for hosting such an event. James Gordon arrived not five minutes ago, ushered in by his friends. He, for his part, seemed quite uncomfortable with all the fuss being made over him but inside he went. Not like he had much choice: they handcuffed him to get him to come! Outside, the night is unsettled. One doesn't announce the gathering of the top names, and the second biggest target, in all Gotham without attracting some attention. The guards at the door are already checking for guns, and finding them. And the night is moving, a warning of what is surely to come. Oracle has put out word to whomever is available, and anyone with an ounce of sense just...knows. Things are gonna get messy. Even though, he is technically out of his jurisdiction Dick Grayson shows up in uniform, his BPD uniform that is. It is not likely that he is the only officer from that city present given how close the two cities are, while he knows the Commissioner personally in more than one identity he stay to the edges of the room. He has been to enough of these things with Bruce to know there is a good chance trouble could be popping up at any moment. And Selina is there. She's got no active warrants on her at the moment. Well, technically the current fake ID she has on her at the moment has none! The femme fatale is wearing a tight blonde wig and hanging off the arm of some rich debutante and giggling appropriately then over and on and off, and is doing her bubblehead routine over in passing, readying then to case the joint and make off with things later. Renee felt it in her bones. She wasn't originally going to come to the gala. James T. Gordon is a close friend and her boss of fourteen years and Renee had been planning to skip out on it for a bottle that she left by her bedside when she finally rolled out from between the sheets. Right now she is regretting the decisin to emerge instead, squinting at the light of day. The Detective isn't that sorry of a sight despite being so hung over her headache needed to get drunk to get out of bed. Dressed in a brown fedora and a nice, neatly pressed suit of an old cut you might see in a serial from decades past she cuts a sharp figure for the people who are looking. Complete with the wavy pony tail she keeps half tucked beneath her hat and searing, dark eyes thare currently squinting at the cameras. She even went full Film Noir and wore her suspenders. They help to keep the gun and badge in place anyway. Renee Montoya is roped into the groupshoving Commissioner Gordon through the door even while she reflects privately to herself that he probably has the right idea about the event. Her quietly brooding expression says a lot about it, especially as she studies the people surrounding her with a degree of care characteristic of the most cynical of storied detectives. Maybe she can channel Dick Tracy and get called away before the festivities start. More likely Renee will need that gun she has on her belt. "It's okay, Jim. Just enjoy the moment. Look. Cameras. You love reporters." Talon heard by way of the Bats about what's going on tonight, and so opts to not be far away. She knows by now quite well how things work in Gotham. The City doesn't get to have nice things, and the gala is a nice thing. However, there is one who will do their very best to sock evil right in its foul kitten biting kisser, yes sir! One who will do their very best to make sure that this City gets at least one nice thing this summer! And that one is not the Tick! No sir, its...ok enough of that. Talon sits on a rooftop listening to her walkman, otherwise in her black tactical gear. Watching the gala unfold, she listens to Chevelle quietly playing from the diminutive speaker. It's plenty loud for one with hearing as outstanding as hers. There's nearly no wait: Gordon is ushered through the doors, and the first of the real problems shows. Motorcycles rev, and a gang of people in bright colors rides up to the front steps. Renee can hear them coming, but Selina and Dick are too far in for something of that sort. Talon, however, gets the full view. As what appears to be a gang of Jokers hops off their bikes, and starts unwielding weapons. Mostly dumb ones, like squeaky mallets, but given that it's apparently a Joker Gang, probably best not to assume. As they approach the guards, up the stairs that lead into the building. Oracle is not on scene, but she does have Dick and Selina on speed-dial in case the outdoor rooftop team spots danger. Selina has managed to go ahead and 'ooh' and 'ahh' over then as she watches Gordon come in then, playing up her role then over as she always does, hanging of the arm of some man.. What was his name? Oh well, she had put enough drugs in his alcohol that he wasn't going to remember either by the time the night was done and he had to go home with a bad hangover leaving poor her all here by herself to rob the place dry later. Of course, she's enjoying the party itself then, and isintent to rob will be irritated when called in. Talon isn't superfast, but she's darn quick when she sees the bright colors. Off she leaps from the roof top, achieving terminal velocity some distance before impacting the ground with an audible thud of combat boots accompanied by the pops of dislocating then relocating knees as her healing factor mends the injuries nigh instantly. Talon takes off like a gunshot after the Jokers, not quite as fast as their motorcycles but she won't be far behind them when they are heading up the steps. Her gloves hands reach to opposite bracers, sliping out shiney slivers of metal from concealed bracers. The diminutive blades are razor sharp, and as she sprints up after them she is taking aim. She doesn't appreciate party crashers. Especially badly dressed ones that make no sense. On the song continues from her belt, their newest incidentally. Cannibals. It was another baffling moment on the streets of Gotham. But then, you didn't call in the best detectives for the easy ones. Not that Renee has been called in for this one. She's more like the egg that tumbled out of the carton onto the pan but didn't crack. Her head feels like it, at least. When the Jokers storm into the room Renee is already turning. She could feel the change in energy, the dread descending over the room like clouds absconding with the light of the sun. So whe nweapons come out she is already drawing her pistol from her belt. It's a Sig Sauer .45 ACP M1911 respec. Eleven bullets and a polymer frame but still in matte black. Her favourite gun. "Get the Commissioner inside!" Renee is already shouting as the bikers are unveiling. "Someone get on a radio call for back up. We're going to need it." Renee should really take her own advice but instead she's covering Jim as the gang is approaching. Renee won't shoot until they do. Occupational hazard. So she calls out, "Drop your weapons and get on the ground! GCPD!" Like they might listen. Officer Grayson is rather oblivious to the trouble goings on outside, at least until he hears Renee's command for the gang to surrender. At this point he slips out to main room down one of the hallways the service staff uses to cater the affair. He finds an empty room to duck into. Officer Grayson goes in but Nighting come out ... of the window that is. He swings around the bulding to join Talon in pursuing the gang, "Am I late to the party?" He asks the young mutant. Hearing the screams outside, there's a sight from Selina even as she sashays on outside, putting boytoy #3 over down on a chair, trusting him to sleep it off. She heads out, ballroom gown and everything to hear what all the noise is about then. And heading along out is one very, very fat looking penguin that has far too much facial hair that appears to be exerted from the effort of runnin the twenty feet to backup his partner, panting as Harvey Bullock arrives at the side of Renee, a large hot dog on a stick in one hand. Suddenly surrounded, the jokers in their hideously pastel coloured suits and giant lapel flowers go back to back for a moment. Nightwing and Laura are behind, and Renee and the other officers are at the door, so there's no easy way in for them. "Wait, wasn't this the...bouncy ball?" one of the Jokers says, as the three facing them open their shirts and sends a torrent of small superballs down the stairs, toward Laura and Nightwing while at the same time two of them with big hammers leap up and attack Renee! To make matters worse, a screech fills the air, and what appears to be an oversized vulture crosses the sky. It looks like it's out of place, just a bit, but very likely announces the arrival of another problem. If Laura and Nightwing get past the trip hazard, they'll be up against one man with a joy buzzer hand (o.o), one with a wooden mallet, and what appears to be a chef in makeup, holding pies. Renee groans softly as the men lunge at her. "What will they attack us with next? Cotton candy?" Not that Renee wants to gian a few pounds. She stares at them with the same expression as a cow regarding an oncoming train, cowcatcher in all. Inflatable cowcatcher. No gang member attacks with a weapon made of hot air. And yet... The detective uses her gun to deflect the first of the hammers, moving to dodge as they lunge rather than taking the weapons head on. THey bounce off of her arm, like they might actually be... Inflatable hammers. She lets out a grunt and then squares on her two opponents, circling as she considers how best to fight them. She still doesn't want to get hit. Seeing an opportunity the detective lunges to throw a hard punch into the stomach of her nearest opponent. She can handle two at once. "You guys need new material. Seriously. Drop the- balloons!" Bullock is going to try and backup Renee, his gun up and out, "Drop the squish toys or get squished!" He's got his weapon up and out, and is trying to line up a bead over with them as he lets the stronger woman engage them. He's also taken the moment to light up a cigarette which blows in his mouth as he tries to get a better shot then over through the Joker goons but hasn't opened fire yet. So much for quitting.. Talon spares a glance to Nightwing through her pale zombie eye contacts and domino mask. She'll tersely reply,"Hoped to deal with before bother." Talon quickly assesses the situation, taking stock of the odd weapon assortments before going on her attack. One throwing blade goes at the shoulder of the hammer man, the other goes to try to skewer the joybuzzer and the hand wearing it. She's met Joker. She knows not to trust those. With that, Talon makes to accompany Nightwing in fisticuffs, singling out the hammer man she just injured with reinforced knuckles bared. Notably, claws haven't come out yet. Talon's radio is still playing as she moves in for the fight, starting in on another song after the announcer says something about ACDC. A guitar strumming riff leads into a slightly obnoxious singing voice... "I'm ever upper class society...God's gift to ballroom notoriety! I always fill my ballroom! The event is never small...The social pages say I've got the biggest balls of all!" Talon's advance is stymied somewhat, finding herself jostled going up the stairs as...actual balls bounce off of her. Weirdness. This is why she dislikes weirdly dressed criminals. Face paint should be outlawed. Likely at least one of her blades goes awry, fortunately there's plenty of criminals in that general direction. Nightwing sees the balls bouncing his way and does what comes naturally to an acrobat instead of using the hazardous starirs he leaps, landing and then pushing off the railing and twists his body into a modified pescado hopefully crashing into the one with the joy buzzer, if he connects he will deliver a punch to the man head as they fall. Selina just taps the side of her radio in her earpiece, still in full dance regalia <> Renee punchie-fists one Joker in the gut, doubling him over. "Whoof," he says, likely the most intelligible thing any of them will say all night. The other, however, laughs with a likely drug-addled laugh and whaps Bullock right over the head with his inflatable balloon mallet...which cause it to pop! And Renee, Bullock, and everyone at the front door is caught in the gas that was inside the balloon, sending the guards to the ground quickly, and Bullock to his knees. Talon and Nightwing's whirlwind assault ends with Nightwing sitting on top of Joybuzzer, who has the lovely gift of knuckles in the face and his head bouncing off of the steps, while Laura's throwing blade imbeds itself easily into the Hammer Brother. He wields his mallet one-handed though, trying to sweep side-to-side and take Laura with those broad strokes. The chef, with the pie, however, is coming up behind Nightwing looking like he'd like to do some comedy. He is, however, not aware as the vulture is coming down in a swoop, to attack the chef! Chaos, the villains aren't being nice to each other even! As a voice comes down from above, a laugh almost like a bird, and the Penguin calls, "Gordon, come out and play! My birds are hungry!" Bullock caughtup over in the gas, goes to take a tumble, wheezing then over as the cigarette falls from his lips, "#$#!" The sound of his swearings fill the void then as he goes to keep on trying to breathe hard. Talon will dodge a stroke of the mallet once, leaning back out of its way before leaning back in like a boxer to deliver a straight punch to his belly followed by a low blow to his groin that aught to have him taking a tumble down the stairs. If that's the case, she'd relieve him of his mallet as he goes to have a bit of fun of her own at the rest of the gang's expense. Meanwhile, on continues the song... "And my balls are always bouncing, and my ballroom always full! And everybody comes and comes again! If your name is on the guest list noone can take you higher! Everybody says I've got GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!" Renee gives her Joker a swift kick in the leg an then punches him a gain to be safe as he falls. She's just turning when the gas hits her. "B-bullock..." A mouthful of bromoacetone, xylyl bromide, and capsacin. Tear gas. Her eyes bein to water at once and she starts coughing for a second. Rnee starts to squint and then forces herself to hold her breath. The change is visible. She stiffens as she deadens her autonomic functions, forcing the burning in her eyes to recede enough to see by... She'll pay for it later, but Renee is master of her pain. The Latina detective is quick to go to Bullock's defense, pushing him out of the gas cloud as seh half-sprints past and moves to tackle the remaining mario villain- er, Joker Ganger. A few quick punches, a kick to the knee will hopefully drop him in time for her to round on penguin. It's hard to tell what will come next, after all. Bullock coughs, wheezing then as /whatever/ is in the gas hits his system. He stumbles, sagging over then even as Renee shoves him out of the cloud then, and he goes to take a roll. Then the stubborn old man is getting back up, forcing himself upright even then as Bullock pukes, going to line up his pistol then, "Who wants some!?" Even with drool and spit floundering down his chin, read to wadeon in again. Nightwing hops off of Joybuzzer once he is out of commission and he looks over at the Penguin, "Great seems like we have a full dance card tonight." He draws his escrima and gets ready for the bird to make his move. Over the comms to Selina, <> Selina taps her comm <> She offers quietly. This is normally the sort of thing she avoids,b ut given all the chaos and for the fact that Jim is in his own way afriend to her, she'll make some exceptions. The vulture swoops, and the Mad Chef gets ripped from the stairs into the sky! He's carried into the air and flown up, screaming, as the vulture lifts him up, up, and turns as if to drop him on Nightwing. And yet, it gets worse. A glowing red dot flies across the area, narrowly missing Nightwing's head. It slices the top off of a nearby statue, leaving the memorial to Inspector Clouseau without his noggin. And a man in a white suit with pink and purple polkadots strides into view, laughing. "You couldn't start this without me! The Polka-Dot Man? Batman's greatest rival." He fires wht appears to be small dots from his fists, but turn out quickly to be ranged punches, toward Penguin, up on the roof, can be heard screeching as his flight space is interrupted, and what appears to be a man ....riding a kite...slices through Penguin's attack vector. "You're the Batman's greatest rival? Ha!" He calls this down as he aims a gun at Renee and Bullock up on the steps, staying aerial so he's not a punchable target. As Renee takes down the last joker with ease; they're not actually very good fighters, relying on tricks instead of smarts. All star crime review? It appears that might not be quite the case. The vulture swoops, and the Mad Chef gets ripped from the stairs into the sky! He's carried into the air and flown up, screaming, as the vulture lifts him up, up, and turns as if to drop him on Nightwing. And yet, it gets worse. A glowing red dot flies across the area, narrowly missing Nightwing's head. It slices the top off of a nearby statue, leaving the memorial to Inspector Clouseau without his noggin. And a man in a white suit with pink and purple polkadots strides into view, laughing. "You couldn't start this without me! The Polka-Dot Man? Batman's greatest rival." He fires wht appears to be small dots from his fists, but turn out quickly to be ranged punches, toward Talon. Penguin, up on the roof, can be heard screeching as his flight space is interrupted, and what appears to be a man ....riding a kite...slices through Penguin's attack vector. "You're the Batman's greatest rival? Ha!" He calls this down as he aims a gun at Renee and Bullock up on the steps, staying aerial so he's not a punchable target. As Renee takes down the last joker with ease; they're not actually very good fighters, relying on tricks instead of smarts. All star crime review? It appears that might not be quite the case. Nightwing would rather not have the Mad Chef dropped on him but given that the steps would likely hospitialize the crook if he dodges. The acrobat grits his teeth and letshmself get hit, that will leave a part as he takes the brunt of the imact with the stairs only his reinforced costume keeping his bones from breaking as he spends the next few moments with his wind knocked out of him. Talon briefly boggles her eyes at this latest motley assortment. She won't for long when it turns out she's a target, however. The girl in black will turn a no hands somersault back down the stairs to get out of the way of whatever it is he's shooting out, then spring instantly in his direction with fists and teeth bared! One of the lights from the yard may perchance catch her just right to glint off of one of her elongated eye teeth giving her a slightly vampiric cast. Talon briefly boggles her eyes at this latest motley assortment. She won't for long when it turns out she's a target, however. The girl in black will turn a no hands somersault back down the stairs to get out of the way of whatever it is he's shooting out, then spring instantly in his direction with hammer and teeth bared! One of the lights from the yard may perchance catch her just right to glint off of one of her elongated eye teeth giving her a slightly vampiric cast. Selina takes a moment to just sit back in the distance, "... Why is there neon." She's still debating her offer of wading back over into the fight, and lets out a sigh, "Fine. Just this once." Then darting around a corner, Selina darts along to find.. "Holy hell." A functioning phone booth. In the middle of Gotham!? Beggars can't be choosers and she hasn't picked enough pockets to break even tonight. So, outfit in one hand, costuem in teh other, Selina goes to perform a change from ballroom outfit to combat costume in the middle of said phone booth.. Probably to accompanying nosebleeds for anyone around. "Bullock! Gunfire, rooftops.Five O'clock!" Shouting, Renee is already running for cover. Bullets scream past her, scattering lke firecrackers across the front of the Police Commissioner's gala. She dives for the grass and snatches her pistol free of the holster as she skitters into place behind the headless Clouseau. "Better you than me, buddy," the woman calls to the statue, shaking her head. Her fedora has skittered a few meters away. She glances at it but settles for opening fire on the penguin overhead. "Damn it! Keep moving, Harvey!" Polka Dot man, however? There are no words so she tries to pretend he isn't there. That's what Vigilantes are here to deal with, right? Harvey ducks over for cover, "On it!" His tuxedo is ruined, but he seems to be much happier now as he goes to duck behind the nearest bit of debris. He goes to take out his pistol and goes to fire a few quick shots up at the rooftops - not expeting to hit, but more to try and keep anyone on them ducking. "Some fuckin' party right? They didn't even let us get the booze!" Nightwing has had training in saving falling victims. It's not comfortable, not for him or for the Joker gang member, but at least the guy will live as the hero turns the falling power into sideways motion with a practiced move, and the two end up rolling down the stairs. The Chef is drooling on the pavement, as Nightwing rolls to his feet, ready but bruised. Talon's assault is fast, stunning, and she's up against someone that is so mind-bogglingly ridiculous that his defense is just as unpredictable. "Not so easy, girl!" the Polka-dot Man says as he lifts his hand, and a golden dot appears under Laura. It moves upwards, fast, to launch her into the air! It is, also, pretty easy to avoid given that Laura is actually able to simply slide over it if she chooses, but nobody tells the Polka-Dot Man what to do! He does dots. Selina's changing in the Classic Superhero Changing Room gives her two extra points in superhero bingo, but doesn't get her nudism into any magazines since the chaos has scared off everyone in the area. Sadly, she emerges without issue. Sorry Selina. But Kite Man takes a few shots her way, having gotten an eyeful from his lofty perch. Penguin has yet to actually fire on anyone himself, so he dives with a theatric dive into cover, screaming, "Waaaaarrr!" as he does, avoiding the cops' bullets. "Carissa, get them!" he calls, and in response the vulture turns it's attention to Renee and Bullock, claws sharp enough to tear flesh from bone, and weighing at least four hundred pounds. That's a big bird. And it's attacking them now, in a swoop with claws slashing. Catwoman dives over for cover, going into a series of quick sommersaults over as the Kite-Man takes a few shots at her. "So this is what happens when Arkham releases folks due to overcrowding." She taps into her comm <> she goes to dart along and goes to quickly zig and zag, and then goes over to climb up one of the walls then, digging her claws into it to clamber on up. Talon goes randomly airborn, her attention having been focused on him and not below her. No fair. But she can work with this too. Talon's got what it takes to whack evil right in its nasty mole noggin! Off Talon slides from the big dot, hammer raised gloriously high as she drops! She fully intends to pile drive the dastardly bespeckled villain into the dirt! Then seeing the fat bird coming towards him, Bullock goes to dive, trying to get Renee out of the way, "Time to cook your ##$#$ goose!" He goes to empty what's left of his clip over into the blubbery bird. Nightwing ties a line to one of his Batarangs and takes aim at the Kiteman trying to entangle the villians legs and pull him down to earth. "One riel villian bound for hte ground coming up." "... The world's largest turkey. Perfect." Renee knows it's a vulture. It doesn't matter. She fires a few shots at a bird who was clearly designed to be Thanksgiving dinner for all the many pilgrims and sighs, shaking her head as she does. A glance at Bullock follows and the woman just shrugs. "Like we need to be drunker than we already are, Harv." Just that and she's up against the statue, poking around a corner to take another shot. "It's got someone. Harvey. Cover me, alright?" Renee isn't sure what she's going to do yet. But... She's climbing. Up the broken Clouseau statue. Actually, the woman's pretty nimble. Bullock moves to cover his partner, firing quick shots from his pistol then and goes to reload, "I fuckin' swear, this is all making me hungry. You think that they'll still haev the buffet out when we'll get back in?" A few shots go up at the vulture, and he goes to duck along. "And I fuckin' need the drinks. After a night like this, you think either of us are gonna want to have to put in a fuckin' report?" With Selina going upward, Kite Man has a target to focus on. He's not very good though, his kite being less than a stable perch to aim from. She finds herself within whip range while only taking one close-call from his pistoleering. Guy's actually more a distraction than a real threat. "Gah, get away woman! I'm here for Gordon!" Talon's mallet comes down with impact, with spirit, and with a definite sense of hitting concrete instead of wet and squishy humie as Polka Dot Man vanishes into a black dot JUST before she can slam him into wet gooey gravy. "I'll get you next time, Batman!" he calls, ignoring the fact that that's like the only person who hasn't shown up. And Polka Dot Man teleports away, madly! Leaving Laura unsatisfied by a man in spandex. Sad, but true. As Bullock wings the bird, it causes the thing to screech and NOT tear his head from his shoulders, though it's possible that Renee's evasion is also helpful. And being tackled aside, but we'll not quibble. "Carissa!" The Penguin calls this down, upset with the wonderful, glorious bird being harmed, and he aims his umbrella at Bullock, who suddenly has to dodge machine gun fire! Or, y'know, bleed a bit, which is always an option. Then Nightwing's grapple wraps around Kite Man's legs, and he gets even more to deal with, trying to lift Dick from the ground! "Gaaah! Curse my easily counterable villainy!" Which is when a van pulls up, just a van. Obviously not a plot device, certainly. Bullock goes to dive over to the side, "Come on fatass! Give the bird the word!" He's having to dodge from Penguin though, going to slam over and hit the ground over then to go to a roll to dive over underneath a statue of the greatest statesman of France, the legendary Gendarme Clousseau that's in front of the street then. He's able to avoid being shish kabbobed, but he's not exactly in a point to help his partner either. Meanwhile, over in another corner smoking a set of doobies watching the melee are two men. One is thin and with long blonde hair, the other is a fat sourpuss with a reversed ballcap and bad facial hair. Both are wearing trenchcoats. The blonde one goes, "Go fatass! Go!" Selina goes to dive as the gunshots just -barely- miss her,taking off a bit of her costume, "Hey, birdy!" She lashes out with her whip, going to try and hit one of the bars of his kite then, trying to damage it in passing then to hopefully if she can send him crashing down towards the ground with any luck wthi a landing that Launchpad would approve of! Nightwing has fought Man-bat recently and has learned the lesson about grappling flyers so as he is lifted off the ground he produces a second batarang he ties onto the other end of the line and throws it around a handly mail drop and then he grins as he flips up and starts walkign the newly made tightrope toward the villian, his parents the Flying Graysons would be proud. Talon will heft her mighty Justice Mallet, newly dubbed and christened, and mutter with a twitch of a solitary eye at having been thwarted. Alas, righteousness has merely put wickedness to flight rather than made it fit to beg for a serving of goodness syrup and mercy strawberries atop it that it might be devoured...ok that's carrying on a bit much. Talon isn't completely oblivious to the sound of machine guns, a threat that she's perfectly suited for putting a stop to. Looking up to its source where she spies the chainsmoking fatass, she breaks into a gallant sprint with the Justice Mallet shouldered to drive sense into at least one criminal scum's mind before the night is through. Claws will spring free at the last moment that she might scale the wall with due haste, a determined air about her as she sets her jaw defiant before this next force of evil. B-b-b-b-b-bird, b-b-bird is the word... "Damn it, now THAT'S stuck in my head..." Sighing, Rene gets tot he top of the statue and stands on its shoulders, turning to look around. She quickly drops to hanging from his impressively muscled stone arm to avoid the gunfire tearing through marble beneath her. "Damn it. I knew this was a bad idea..." Renee hauls herself back up. From here she can just about reach... "But this is a worse one." Renee takes a truly impressive sprint and then makes an impossible leap. Just how close can she get to the Penguin's perch? She's not adverse to trying... Except there's one small problem. Carissa is in the way. With a yell Renee takes a flying leap... Onto the back of the world's largest bird. Can its wings even support another 150lbs? We're about to find out... Ducking behind cover, Bullock is reloading, and goes to yell an obscenity up as he sees what Renee is going, "I'm not gonna let you fuckin' TOUCH those Bourne DVD's again! They give you too many ideas!" But still, he's trying to support his partner then, even if he can't get a good shot off now and is just trying to keep his weapon up to make sure he has her covered. Kite Man is grappled. He's damaged. And he's going down, hard, with Nightwing's line snapping taut and falling fast. He even fails to have a final monologue as he impacts with the side of a wall, and then the ground. It isn't the prettiest landing but one that he won't walk away from. Until the paddy wagon arrives to collect the bodies, later in the night. Nightwing and Selina get a moment if they want to take it for good teamwork, as a man with what appears to be tiger stripes all over his body, concealed only by a loincloth, walks silently up behind them. And then the pair suddenly rise into the air, lifted by an aura that seems formed of tiger stripes. They can move, talk, fight, but they can not resist. They ARE going up. So, it appears, is Talon as the walls give way before her climbing ability. And she finds herself the first to face off against a Batman Rogue's Gallery Classic: The Penguin! A short fat man with an umbrella gun, shooting at her while cackling evilly. Renee, for her part, is robbed of the chance not by villainy, but by pure poor luck, and ends up soaring through the air atop a mighty bird! It's having serious issues with handling though, and screeches at Renee as it tries to compensate for the extra load! Having put on a little weight from last night's DVD watching, she's more than it can handle, and Renee finds herself able to ..guide the annoyed chordata. Poorly, but it's better than nothing. And the van, well, the man sitting in the front seat smokes quietly, his massive grin unseen by anyone outside. And he nods, motioning to the van door, which slowly slides open. Selina is about to do somethign catty when she's.. Rising up in the air? And can't resist? She gives as sadistic a look over at Nightwing wiht a 'this is YOUR FAULT' expression on her face then as she tries to struggle. Her body levitates, her hips gyrate as she thrashes, instinctively trying to test at the bonds in an effort to try and find a weak point to break free. "Who the /FRAK/ are you?" Her hand is going towards on eof her pouches, trying to get some of the very small tear gas pellets she keeps in them. Presuming she can reach that far, with an underhand sling of her wrist she would launch them through over at the striped man. "And you really have to speak with Gordon on whatever the hell the early release program they're running at Arkham. Did they have enough embarrassments when Humbug escaped again?" Having not seen the ma in the black van that may or may not be luring children wiht pormises of candy, Bullock is trying to get a bead over on the bird and the cop. THis definitely isn't a flop. "Just a heads up here, you can't fuckin' fly toots!" Shot up by Bullock over at Renee then. IT's just the way he cares! "Like ailerons on a plane. If I lean left..." The bird swerves heavily as they round on the nearby building. She's taking her mount out toward the Penguin shouting, "I can't get a shot from the back of this thing! Damn it..." It's true. Renee and her newly fat popcorn fed ass is wobbling too much to properly aim her weapon while they swoop about. "Yeah, well. Harvey, you can't sing! It doesn't matter right now! Just- find something to get done down there! Don't shoot the bird, we'll crash!" Carissa sadly overshoots her target of the Penguin's perch, wings making it impossible to jump. "Damn it... Woooah!" Renee and the vulture are headed out to the parking lot and the black van as they pass Tiger Stripes and crew. That whole mess had bad news written on it like October 19, 1987. The worst news, after all, is reserved for when Renee tries to get the bird to turn around and instead sideswipes a tree with one of her wings. Nightwing smiles to Selina, "Haven't you ever wanted to be in the circus, flying through the air with the greatest of ease with the daring young man on the flying trapeeze?" He reaches for her, "Give me your arms." He instructs her hoping that for once she will listen to him. Talon will execute something akin to a vault from the edge of the rooftop to the roof proper as Penguin blasts in her direction. Not only can she heal from gunshot wounds nigh instantly but she's rocking body armor. This isn't Penguin's night. The moment Talon's over, she'll be rolling before launching into a handspring to present as close to an impossible target as she can for a man with an umbrella gun. Cirque du Soleil has nothing on her. She is an idea. That idea is justice. To her mallet gripping hand's bracer goes Talon's free hand to slip out another throwing blade. She's gotta do something about that gun. Forth goes a silvery streak to try to give him something to think about other than lining up his shots. Evil is selfish, and this particular man bloated is bloated with it. Surely he'll think of little else when he finds himself winged like a slimey penguin faced off with the poacher of righteousness! Penguin falls. Not just to Talon's thrown blade, but far more than that. He gets caught by the blade, disarmed as his umbrella gets destroyed, but the impact makes him flail awkwardly and tip backwards, off of the rooftop! He falls, with a screech audible for miles, and lands upside-down in a garbage can on the ground, which rolls onto it's side and lays still. Penguin, out. Talon stands atop the roof, triumphant. The tear gas lands in Zebra Man's lap, well-aimed, and sends him coughing. He does, however, through reddening eyes, magnetize the GAS and sends it upward, toward the two flying kids! Apparently his thing is to magnetize things and send them into the air. And not talk a lot. Renee, however, is having a rough go of it. As a big, big person steps out of the van and literally catches the incoming out of control vulture, tossing both it and Renee back toward the stairs with apparent ease. "Well. Now that we've drawn out all of the players, time to have some fun," says the Joker as the last of the little pigs are taken down by the wolves. He tosses out a handful of grenades, all of which have big grins on them, into the melee outside and laughs his signature laugh, reminding folks of horror and for some reason some guy from Star Wars. Evil, incarnate. The Joker has arrived. And, from the rictus grimace on the big guy's face, Killer Croc is with him. The Gas is Joker Gas, the stuff that ruins you if you breathe it. Take it seriously, folks. And the grenades explode, making the whole place a Bad Place to Be. ™ Breaking into coughs, Bullock's eyes go wide as he sees the familiar green gass goes up in the air. "Everyone OUTTA here!" That might even go for the villains as well. Maybe. Yanking up his tuxedo shirt to cover his face, Bullock quickly backpedals then and yells at Renee, "Get outta here!" He's seen too many times what heavy doses of Joker Gas can do, and even if you're just o the periphery. Bullock takes his gun to fire it up int he air, "GET OUTTA HERE!" A warning to anyone that -hasn't- gotten the idea from a packed firefight with supervillains. As she goes up in the air, Selina just flat out stares then over as the gas floats, and so does she then as he goes to yank her whip out, "FORGET it!" As she sees the green gas cloud rising, she goes to yank over on her own gas mask. "Sorry love, out of here." She's going to lash with her whip out over at on eof the nearby buliding supports, and pending her ability to lock her bullwhip over around the wall panel, she's going to yank herself forcibly and hard out of the way. Talon is already up on a rooftop, thankfully. Joker's arrival earns a frown. As does Killer Croc's. She eyes the Croc, not sure what to do about the Joker Gas being scattered across the property in general. The big guy is more her speed. Talon will back up a step from the edge of the rooftop and assume a baseball pose with the Justice Mallet. She is going to hit someone with it tonight, one way or another. Taking a swing, she'll spin with its inertia to whirl about and then shot-put the mallet at the Croc, fully intending to peg him in the noggin with it if at all possible. Surely that'd get his attention. One super-duper villain is enough for everyone else to worry about. She'll handle the backup. Thank goodness for the Bat rebreather, Nightwing slips that devices over he nose and mouth, it will not give him oxgen for a long time but it will by him some time to deal with the toxic fumes the Joker creates. He triggers the switch on his mask to lower the infrred lenses to protect his eyes from the boomerrang tear gas, while still raising he does some quick geometry and tosses one of his escrima sticks ricocheting it off asome hand surfaces and rfinally towards the Zebra Man but at an angle that if it is repelled it will head towards the Joker, hoping to tag at least one of them with this maneuver. Zebra Man's head goes back as Nightwing's escrima stick takes him down, just in time to let the two be part of the fun of Joker's arrival. They're both easily acrobatic enough that a fall isn't a threat, and Nightwing and Selina are both fine to get down from their levitation. Killer Croc opens his mouth to roar, and manages to do so just before a wooden mallet slams into his face from afar! It splinters and blows up on his body, sending him back a single step, and makes the Big Guy angry. "I kill you all!" says Croc, as he reaches back and picks up the van, metal creaking under his grip, and then throws it at Talon in reciprocation for her opening gambit. Bullock manages to get Renee out of the gas, along with anyone else who might be still in range, including quickly dragging the unconscious guards out of range, and they are as safe as anyone gets, before he sees someone heading for the fight from inside. Commissioner Gordon, free of the handcuffs, is walking toward the fight, and the only ones in his way are Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya. And Joker's laugh echoes throughout the square, as he waits for Gordon to insist on coming outside, where he himself is waiting. And Joker pulls a rocket launcher out of his pants, aiming up the stairs toward the rapidly approaching Commissioner. "Guess we're going out with a bang tonight, folks!" Bullock can only look up and see ith terror then the figure of the Joker. And so he goes to try and grab the first thing at hand then. It's a large brick, fallen off from the statue of Clousseau that hadlanded on his foot. On closer examination it is Clousseau's nose, complete wtih monocle. Picking it up, he yells at Joker, "THE NOSE KNOWS!" Then he goes to hurl it with all the desperation that he can manage then over at the big, shiny head of the white skinned freak. Selina is taking hte opportunity to flee. This is getting way too hairy for her (note: Selina is aware that Killer Croc does not have body hair, and that birds in feathers that flock together do neither). SO she's just using her bullwhip to launch herself over to the rooftop of a nearby building, coiling it up to her side, and then is running along, intent on vanishing into the night. Falling is normally the last thing an acrobat wants to do, it is a sad statement on his lifestyle that it has being something Nightwing is quite used to, once on the ground he looks ot the remaining foes, one ginormus aligator dude in Killer Croc and of course the ever famous killer klown, the Joker, "You know some nights is doesn't pay to leave the cave." He tosses a flash pellet at the Joker. Talon has had bigger things thrown at her, so has no problem diving from the rooftop in time to keep from being beaned with a van. Silly cretin. Talon will do a flip on the way down guaranteeing that she lands on her feet like all good fighters for goodness and morality. One again knees pop, then repop and she heals from yet another unnaturally high landing at near terminal velocity. Talon finally pops claws in earnest, knowing good and well that the psychotic Killer Croc doesn't trifle. She'll charge the brute with all the gusto of a pint sized paladin, claws flashing like angelic instruments right up until she goes into a powerslide to slash at his ankles as she goes by before hopefully popping up behind him. The lovely and talented Renee Montoya realizes the danger as she sees both the rocket launcher and the Commissioner both about to be brought together. She moves like lightning, almost as if she had the narrator handling things for her, and steps in front of Gordon. "Not that door sir, joker gas outside. You'll need a mask." Which is enough to make even Gordon pause. "I'll be right back." He and Renee both go for masks, so they can get into the fight. At least they'll be safe. Which is good, since Bullock and Nightwing's attacks both land, and Joker gets knocked aside. The rocket launcher fires, but not where it was aimed, and Nightwing actually has to jump to avoid an incoming projectile! It misses by inches, slamming into the headless statue out front and sending pieces of Gendarme into the air. Talon and Killer Croc face off now, though. Which is no joke, and the sharp teeth and claws of Talon are matched by the monster in front of her. "Eat your legs," he says as he gets slashed, turning faster than he has any right to, and kicking out at Talon when she comes up behind him. Hard. While Joker staggers down the stairs, cursing fluently and snarling at Bullock. Bullock is facing off with Joker, "You got what's coming for you, clown!" Bullock is angry, Bullock is exhausted. Bullock has had no nicotine. Bullock is stone cold sober. He is wearing a tuxedo that has half melted into hsi body from heat and gas. He smells of puke. He goes to charge Joker, intent on giving the clown a brutal kick hard over to the nuts. Nightwing uses his arms to cover his face as best as he can as peices of the french policeman shower over him, there is something oddly fitting about he statue of a Frenchmen getting turned into shrapnel given the origin of the term. He joins in Bullocks attack thoug in his case he swings his fist hi, after all they need ot press the issue ot avoid giving the clown a second shot with the rocket launcher. Talon gets knocked away by his kick the moment she gets back up, actually surprised by that as big as he is. Fortunately, she's been hit a lot harder before. Talon gets serious at this point as she gets back to her feet with a kip, her toe claws coming out now with a low growl. She wastes no energy on snide comebacks to his comment, knowing well that he'll do as he says if she gives him a chance. Talon goes straight in, counting on her small size and his reliance on bull strength and nigh invulnerability to give her the edge she needs. She knows she's faster than him already, and that's what she's going to use as she turns a no hands somersault to bring a toeclaw raking in at him for her lead. If that heavy attack lands, he'll have something to think about an instant before her follow up as she'll palm the ground to bring her toe claws into play yet again, swinging around to get at his legs in an effort to cripple. All this while she endeavors to be a difficult target, closing fast before going low even for an ordinary size person. Joker sidesteps Bullock, snorting. "Who let the small fry in?" he says as he tries to slap Bullock with his hand, the one with the joy buzzer that'll have his hair standing on end for weeks. Takes a shot from Nightwing, one that rattles his teeth, then, and coughs. "Ugh, you're not him either. How hard it is to draw out you people's boss tonight? I don't mean Gordon, he was always a...red herring?" Joker laughs, then tries to hit Nightwing with a fish he pulls from his lapel. With a smile on it, of course. Croc, slamming the ground where Talon was a second ago, shows his strength. The ground splinters under his power, but all that muscle means he's holding still, and ALL of Talon's attacks land. Croc goes down, his legs torn and hips sliced, and tries to reach for Talon so he can take a bite out of her hide! "Damn bats! I'll get you..." Fortunately, hair standing on end won't be much of an issue for Bullock. Probably as most of it's gonna fall out then as Joker sidesteps him, then gives him enough amprage to give a normal man a heart attack. But Bullock, while definitely smoking, finds a use for all that excess blubber. It acts as insulation. But, he does go down faster than he normally does on a chilli dog buffet Nightwing takes a fish upside his head, that is not a sentance one hears often but goes to show anything can happen in Gotham. Though the blow knocks him back it does not put him down in fact it seems to infuriate our hero. Nighting lashes out would a ushiro geri aimed at the clowns chest. Talon doesn't like the thought of being bit, even if she can just grow it back. She knows certain people get tired of mending her costumes and tonight has been a good night overall. She'll spring out of the way of his grasping hand, endeavoring to land in a manner generally only possible for individuals as nimble and flexible as her. Talon's goal is to land in an odd sort of flop on Croc's back. She position's her heels to hopefully impact the back of his head, thus making him kiss pavement while her fists are aimed downwards to drive her claws into his back thus further maiming him. She hopes this ends his fighting days for a while. He's much too dangerous for any streets, even Gotham's. Long distance to Nightwing: Zack grins. And Killer Croc's face bounces off of the pavement. He's tough enough that this isn't quite enough, so a quick stomp by Laura on his back sends him down again, and this time into nighty-night land, a big ugly lump of ugly in front of the Grand Ballroom. With Talon literally standing on top of him, looking grumpy. Nightwing's attack on Joker staggers him, forcing him back. He's used to being beaten up, and has time to run, so he take the chance... And Joker, turning to flee, spins and finds himself face to face with something unexpected. He's stopped by a statue of an old hero, one not well known in this modern age but one that Mr. Wayne had specially commissioned. The Gray Ghost, an old actor but one worth his money, and Wayne's respect apparently. Joker stops, turns and tries to find a way around, and comes face to face again with the heroes. "No, not without Batman! Not without a joke!" He screams, then turns and runs straight into the Gray Ghost's outstretched hand, knocking himself cold at the statue's feet. And the grizzled features of an old hero look down on the Joker, smiling. The statue has an inscription, which makes no sense but yet, it is there. 'He will be missed. Godspeed, Mr. West.' Selina slowly salutes. You will be. Godspeed